OpenAI just unleashed ChatGPT's biggest social evolution yet. The company rolled out group chats globally today, letting up to 20 people collaborate with AI in shared conversations across all subscription tiers. This isn't just another feature drop - it's OpenAI's boldest move to transform ChatGPT from a solo chatbot into a collaborative workspace that could reshape how teams work with AI.
OpenAI just flipped the script on AI collaboration. The company announced Thursday that ChatGPT group chats are now live globally, transforming the platform from a one-on-one assistant into what could become the workplace's next collaborative hub.
The rollout comes exactly one week after OpenAI began testing the feature in select markets including Japan and New Zealand. That rapid global expansion signals serious confidence in what OpenAI sees as a pivotal shift for its flagship product.
Here's how it works: up to 20 people can join a shared ChatGPT conversation, whether they're coordinating vacation plans, co-writing documents, or working through complex research problems together. The AI knows when to jump in and when to stay quiet - users can tag "ChatGPT" to get responses, and the bot can even react with emojis and reference profile photos.
The technical implementation reveals OpenAI's attention to privacy concerns. Personal settings and memory stay isolated to each user, even in group settings. When someone new joins an existing chat, it creates a fresh conversation rather than exposing previous discussions. Users set up lightweight profiles with names, usernames, and photos to participate.
"Over time, we see ChatGPT playing a more active role in real group conversations, helping people plan, create, and take action together," OpenAI told TechCrunch in an email response. That vision extends well beyond simple chat functionality.
The timing isn't coincidental. This launch comes less than two weeks after OpenAI dropped GPT-5.1, featuring both Instant and Thinking model variants. In September, the company launched Sora, a social video creation app with TikTok-style feeds. The pattern is clear: OpenAI is rapidly expanding beyond traditional AI assistance into social and collaborative territory.
